OPJ Chapter 23: Krieg

-Days earlier-

The Krieg Pirates, also known as the Pirate Armada, were the most feared and powerful crew in all of East Blue. Led by the ruthless Don Krieg, their fleet of fifty ships and five thousand pirates struck fear into the hearts of anyone who dared cross their path.

The marines had long been aware of the Krieg Pirates, but until now, they had been no match for them. However, as Krieg's reputation grew, the Marine Headquarters took notice and decided to take action. They commissioned the legendary Garp, who happened to be vacationing in East Blue at the time, to capture Krieg and put an end to his reign of terror.

But Krieg was not to be taken lightly. His spies within the Marines intercepted the plans and relayed them back to their leader.

The mere mention of Vice Admiral Garp's name was enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the most arrogant pirates. Don Krieg was no exception. Despite his bluster and bravado, he knew better than to mess with the Marine Headquarters.

For a time, Krieg remained in the East Blue, biding his time and building his strength. But eventually, the call of the Grand Line proved too strong to resist. With a massive fleet at his command, Krieg set sail for the treacherous waters of the Grand Line.

As he journeyed deeper into the unknown, Krieg's fleet grew ever more fearsome. They swept across the sea like a dark, malevolent cloud, destroying anything and everything in their path. Merchant ships, fishing vessels, and even Marine patrol ships fell before them, their crews helpless against the overwhelming might of the Pirate Armada.

For Don Krieg, this was only the beginning. He was determined to conquer the Grand Line, no matter the cost. But little did he know, the greatest challenge of his life lay just ahead.

Despite the Pirates' warnings about the dangers of going to Loguetown, he remained inexplicably self-confident and decided to go anyway. He brushed off their concerns about being arrested or even murdered by marines, believing that his strength was enough to handle any situation.

As he arrived at Loguetown's pier, he was greeted by the sight of fifty pirate boats, all of them docked so publicly. It was a daunting scene, but he couldn't resist the thrill of the adventure. With a sly grin, he stepped forward and announced his arrival, ready to face whatever challenges awaited him.

Krieg stood on the deck, staring out into the horizon with a heroic pose.

"Is this the town where Roger was executed?" Krieg wondered aloud. "That guy was so useless, getting caught by an incompetent marine. Even though I was born in East Blue, I'll never meet the same desperate fate as him. Don Krieg would never go down like that."

One of his crew members spoke up, cautioning him about the dangerous Commodore stationed in the town. "Boss, it's said that the Commodore here is a force to be reckoned with. Maybe we should reconsider our plan..."

Krieg's eyes narrowed, and without hesitation, he whipped out his gun and shot the pirate who dared to question his decision. "I am invincible! That notoriety doesn't frighten me in the slightest. I'll take this town as the first victim of my Grand Line journey!"

The crew looked on in shock as Krieg continued his rant. "Whatever, we'll go to the town and have some fun with murder and robbery! No one can stop us! HA-HA-HA!"

The crew exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to proceed with their captain's reckless behavior. Nonetheless, they all knew that there was no arguing with Krieg when he was in this state.

As he spoke, an unarmed man dressed in a marine justice cloak fell onto the mast beside the wharf.

"Ah, that's scary. There are so many..." Saitama exclaimed, putting his right hand on his forehead and scanning the area.

"It's really difficult to control my strength without harming nearby buildings... These pirates have taken over so many places! Hmmm... I guess a gentle punch will have to do."

Krieg sneered at the bald-headed hero and said, "Are you frightened by my army? Ha-Ha-Ha, you're an incompetent soldier!"

Saitama paid no attention to Krieg and jumped off the mast, positioning his fist for a powerful punch.

-Must kill...-

The sky, which had been clear and cloudy, suddenly turned dark with thunder and lightning. The sea began to churn as if in a terrible storm, with waves rising higher and higher.

As Saitama jumped off the mast, Krieg felt a sudden sense of dread creeping into his heart. He looked uncertainly at the bald-headed marine, whose fists seemed to store the wrath of nature itself.

"What the hell is going on?" Krieg muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on Saitama's powerful stance.

The storm's noises still raged on, and the sky and the earth turned white with fury.

It was as if Saitama was unleashing a power so terrible that it could shake the world itself.

With one swift blow, a natural disaster occurred! Fifty ships of the Pirate Armada were instantly destroyed, crushed to dust by the force of the impact. The sea was even separated in half by the wind of the punch, revealing the seabed for all to see.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

-Nowadays at Krieg's ship-

"Bastard!!"

Krieg woke up suddenly, drenched in sweat, on board a pirate ship en route to the Baratie restaurant. The nightmare had been so terrifying, it had felt like he was inches away from death.

"I don't know how I survived that devastating attack. Maybe the golden armor saved my life! That punch defeated fifty warships." Krieg's ambition had been completely destroyed.

After being thrown from the sea onto an island and recovering from his wounds, Krieg had no intention of repeating the nightmare experience. He returned to work away from the Marines' radars, especially the Commodore installed in Loguetown.

But after a short time, Krieg received some good news.

He had originally thought that his chief officer Gin, had died that day under Saitama's punch. Gin was the most loyal and cruel subordinate, feared not only for his strength but also his merciless killing. He would kill anyone, no matter their age or gender, if he was ordered to do so.

"Yet, this monster was still alive!" When he learned that Gin was still breathing, Krieg's tense nerves finally eased a little. "At last... some good news..."

As the sun began to set over the sea, the Baratie's shadow stretched out across the water like a dark, looming monster. Krieg emerged from his cabin onto the deck, his eyes ablaze with a fierce determination as he gazed out at the horizon.

"Now that our nightmare is over, it's time to unleash chaos once more and turn the entire East Blue upside down!" he declared, his voice ringing with malicious glee.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Saitama slumped back in his chair at the restaurant, feeling utterly bored after polishing off his meal.

"Ugh, why does it take so long to get back on the ship and take a nap?" he grumbled to himself before yawning and rubbing his eyes.

Grabbing a nearby Den Den Mushi, he called out to a sailor outside. "Hey, any sign of that pirate ship's shadow yet?"

"Not yet, Commodore," the sailor replied, scanning the horizon.

Suddenly, a skeleton flag appeared on the sea's surface, causing the soldier to shout out in alarm. "They're here! It's Krieg's 'Dreadnaught Sabre'—the skull and hourglass emblem leaves no doubt!"

Saitama's lips curled into an evil, empty-eyed grin. "What a lovely name," he said.

As the marine soldiers around him stood up and saluted, asking if they should launch an artillery attack on the approaching pirate ship, Saitama waved them off with a dismissive gesture.

"Nah, I'll handle this myself."

Saitama rose from his seat in the restaurant and headed for the door.

"I need to make sure that it's really Krieg I'm dealing with, not some imposter," he muttered to himself. Glancing at the other customers, he added, "Don't worry, I've got this."

Just then, the curly-eyebrowed waiter emerged from the kitchen with a plate of piping hot fries.

He was taken aback by Saitama's sudden departure and shouted after him in frustration. "Hey, your fries are ready! You're not trying to ditch them, are you?"

Saitama turned back and reassured him, "No, no, I'm just going out for a bit. I'll be back soon, so don't worry about it."

The waiter didn't seem to care about Saitama's business and said nonchalantly, "Well, you better hurry back. The fries won't taste good when they get cold. I put a lot of effort into making them perfect, so you better eat them while they're hot."

Saitama gave him a thumbs up and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be back before they have a chance to cool down."